The story of Biloela and its most famous family, who “just wanted a safe, happy life with their kids”, is again burning on Australia’s collective tongue.
“Their story is relatable to people,” Ms Dendle says. “They just wanted a safe, happy life with their kids and that’s what they had here. They went for walks every afternoon. They went to work and came home. They attended the play groups.
“There are is a lot support [for the family],” she says. “There is also a lot of people on the fence or against them ... It’s hard. It’s really hard.”The question of returning the Murugappans to Biloela or Sri Lanka is controversial in their adopted community, contrary to the popular narrative. “My personal opinion is they should be sent back to where they came from and then apply in a legal way,” he says. “Come in legally and I’ve got no qualms.”Mr Martin, who says he has been threatened online by “local people, well known in town”, believes he is in a minority.
Mr O’Dowd, a Liberal National Party member who will not recontest his seat of Flynn at the next election, says the case is becoming an increasing frustration among his backbench colleagues, most of whom have so far kept their opinions in-house. Brenda Lipsys, who runs Blue Sky Heritage Eggs with her family about half an hour’s drive from town, remembers regular visits from the Murugappan family to collect plump retired laying hens for Sri Lankan curries.Ms Lipsys attends the vigils in Biloela’s Lions Park. So does her next door neighbour.“I’m proud to be from Biloela and I’m proud to be standing up for people like this family,” she says.
“Still to this day some Queensland Health employees in town get nervous going to rallies or talking about it,” she says.
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